Deer Ridge Golf Club (Bellville, OH)

The other destination in mid ohio is mohican state park, and as you get off in Belleville to take route 97, you might drive right past arguably the best course in the region, Deer Ridge Golf Club. 

Brian Huntley designed it in 2000 (six years before he did The Quarry) and it occupies what can only be described as dramatically rolling terrain. The holes roll, twist, and bend all throughout the property, and it absolutely blows your mind how good the golf is!  

Obviously on land like this, finding playable corridors is essential. Too much slope can make shots more difficult than intended. 

The first may fall into that category as it's 451 yards tumbles downhill before climbing up the other side. However, the second hole is an excellent short par four that makes great use of the terrain both visually and strategically. 

I love how the direct route to the green is over the falloff, while the smart short is long to the far side of the fairway where the angle opens the green up. 

The par fives on the front really shine at Deer Ridge starting at the fourth. 

Reachable in two for long hitters while short hitters try to set up a pitch short left of green.  The sixth is really good as the second shot goes over the knob in the hill, making the player judge how much run the ball will have once over it.  

The heaving terrain has a couple terrific par threes. Three is a cool one shotter across a small pond to a two tier green. The back right makes for a tiny target from the tee, but the bowl shape left side is probably tougher to putt. Then eleven is a long one shotter across the valley to a large plateau type green. 

The rear half slopes away to the back where Huntley has some short grass to chip from. It's a very good par three. 

The dramatic terrain was always going to have the more memorable holes. The valley holes was the key. How interesting could Huntley make these? At first glance they look boring, and maybe the first couple holes are just mildly intriguing, but fourteen has a very well designed green complex that accepts running shots from thirty-forty yards short. Then fifteen is an excellent uphill par four with another great green complex. 

The last three holes are fine. A decent par five followed by a tough par three over water. However, the last hole finishes on a low note, not surprising when you consider what goes down must eventually go up. The uphill approach is too much uphill, and the green is terribly designed for the shot coming in. 

I gotta comment on the most interesting  hole Huntley tried to make work, an uphill blind par three. # 7. At first one thinks of the dell hole at Lahinch in Ireland, but this idea is fifty feet straight up the hill, with a tree encroaching so the shot has to cut into the green. End result is disappointing.  

Deer Ridge is, in my opinion, a must play course in Ohio. It's easier to get to than Black Diamond, and is more playable too. I give it a 6 (very good) rating. The clubhouse is one of a kind too. 

Black Diamond Golf Course (Millersburg, OH)

The next two courses are going to highlight the Mid Ohio region. Wilmot, Berlin, and Millersburg are known for their small shops, great food, and Amish community. And for golfers...Black Diamond. 

(Is there a prettier hole in Ohio than #11)

Black Diamond is a Barry Serafin design that is on topography that is very dramatic.  Rock outcroppings, severe elevation change, everything you can think of makes this a stunning golf course. 

Look at that opening tee shot! 

Ten tee next to one. 

Put a little snow on nine and that would be a black diamond trail!! 

The first hole is a par five, and yes those rocks are in play on the second shot. There are so many things you see at Black Diamond that you typically don't see in Ohio. The elevation change and sweeping vistas make this a different experience. 

This is the approach on four. Beautiful shot across the valley. 

Short par fours are a great way to transverse severe land. Six is 319 yards, but as you can see in photo, it's all uphill.

Another photo of nine, but this time from the tee. Look at that view!! It's beautiful, but it's not very playable. And that is the con levied at Black Diamond. If the ball is not hit straight, then there is a good chance for a lost ball. Hitting driver is probably not the best decision on most holes. This is the drive on twelve..

...absolutely nowhere to drive the ball. 

Obviously not every hole is like that, as seen above, but why couldn't every drive be given the width that fifteenth (above) has. 

(Thirteen is a cool short par three) 

So how good is Black Diamond? 

Black Diamond is the type of course you go play and enjoy the sometimes crazy shots that you don't experience anywhere else. It's like Thunder Hill in Madison, there's a few holes borderline unplayable, but when you pull off the shot, what a great feeling. Yes it's not fair, but it's a super fun course to play. I give it a 5 (good). 

 

 

Tannenhauf Golf Club (Alliance,OH)

Tannenhauf is so far off the beaten path, that unless a player is going specifically there, it's at a huge disadvantage attracting golfers. The CGA used to play here when I first joined, but eventually it was replaced as driving distance became a factor in our scheduling. 

Tannenhauf was designed by James Harrison and Fred Garbin. Both men are from the Donald Ross lineage, and their architecture follows suit with simple strategy such as long iron shots having bigger greens while short iron shots contending with smaller ones. At Tannenhauf, bunkers are kept at a minimum, and many times aren't used at all. A valley cuts thru the property, and 1,3,5,7,10, and 18 all play thru it, and use this feature to make some interesting shots. 

The third is my favorite hole, and the most memorable. It's a 605 yard par five that doglegs left. The valley that cuts thru the property comes into play on the second shot. There's a huge advantage for the player who can carry it, and land his ball on the same level as the green. 

The valley is used nicely again at seven. 

In this pic you can see how it fronts the green, and how the slope of the putting surface presents some obvious challenges. 

Harrison and Garbin's use of alternating green sizes continues throughout the round. I think the smaller greens tho are the most exciting. The larger greens aren't bunkered, so the player doesn't have to take on the shot. Chippewa was also designed by this duo, and if I recall, many of the best holes there were the smaller greens. 

The holes that don't cross the aforementioned valley are on flat, almost featureless land. These holes are average at best. The back nine occupies this side. I think twelve and seventeen have nice greens that provide a reasonable challenge. Fifteen is a short par three that plays downhill to a narrow green backdropped by a picturesque creek. Sixteen,the par five, has a really nice green ringed by several bunkers, the only one like that. It makes me wonder if there were more traps at one time. Finally eighteen is a long par four that plays thru the valley to a large green. It's a good ending hole. 

Tannenhauf is very similar to Chippewa in the sense that the front nine is where most of the scoring is at, while the back nine toughens up, and the course ends with a string of strong holes. I can't help but comment on the strength of the greens, or more about the presentation of them. They make what is essentially an average course, and makes it above average. I give it a 4. 

(The ninth green in it's pastoral setting) 

Valleaire Golf Club (Hinkley, OH)

The southern ridge of Cuyahoga county is home to nearly ten golf courses, and while Sleepy Hollow and Pine Hills are the class of the group, the one tucked away off the road is the sleeper. Originally built for the Knights of Columbus, Valleaire plays over tumbling hills and the east branch of the Rocky River. 

The owners are putting a lot of money into the course, most recently a new clubhouse. They also switched the nines, so now the course ends on a 3-5-3 stretch. 

This is the eighteenth, a picturesque hole over water. It reminds me a tad bit of the finishing hole at Berkshire Hills. 

This is sixteen, a long uphill par three with a beautiful skyline green. It's arguably the best hole on the course. These two par threes sandwich an exciting par five where birdies and eagles are found. 

The architect purposely avoided the river, probably due to flooding, so only one hole uses it to a large extent. The back to back par fives at six and seven are very similar holes with a creek crossing the fairway, making the player decide between carrying it or laying up. Long hitters have no problem with the distance so they're easy holes for them. 

Then goofy architecture like this comes into play on a few holes. However, a solid group of par fours salvages the round with some exciting shots. Ten is a driveable par four at 280 yards, followed by the 465 yard eleventh whose green is an elusive target to hit. The shortish fourteenth is a well designed layup par four. And who can forget the ninth, old eighteen, where a drive up the right hand side is the only way to get a good angle to the green. 

Valleaire is an average course in my opinion, but average golfers like it, and much of that is due to the scenery and playability. It's the only course that I couldn't play on a Sunday afternoon, it was that busy. Like I said it's a sleeper course, and it's one of the more popular courses in the city. 3 (average) 

Astorhurst CC (Walton Hills, OH)

Astorhurst is a Harold Paddock course designed in the '60s. It's the only golf course in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, and it's the closest course to my house. Yes I can take turney road down to dunham and be golfing in ten minutes. No highway miles either! 

The pic above highlights one of the best shots at Astorhurst, the tee shot on eighteen from high up on the hill to the fairway in the valley. The course is divided between the valley holes and the hill holes. (Eighteen and eight both have dramatic tee shots) The property unfortunately is somewhat cramped. The valley holes (1,9,10) are all short par fours. Couple this with three more atop the hill, and Astorhurst is simply a fun members course. 

I'm a big fan of Harold Paddocks.  He's designed a few courses around here. His par threes are usually excellent, and at Astorhurst, one in particular stands out, the thirteenth. 

It's known as the ravine hole, where the player has two options. There's a green in the valley, and there's a green across on the other side. Usually the ladies play the short green and the men play the far one. It's a very cool concept, and really stands out. 

The ninth gets rave reviews too. It's about 300 yards, and from tee to green is probably only 270 yards. However, it's all carry over water if the player is trying to drive the green. It's a great matchplay hole! 

I like the back nine more than the front. It's a bit more dramatic playing alongside several ravines. 

The green above is from the fourteenth. The green is basically on a plateau surrounded by ravines. It's a short 320 par four, so it's just a wedge approach. 

This is the uphill approach on the sixteenth. That front right bunker gets a lot of play. 

Seventeen tightens up in the valley, and widens as the hole goes uphill. The green is well protected, so the decision is hit a longer shot from flat lie, or hit a shorter one from an uphill lie. 

Being close to the house, Astorhurst is a fun option for a game, and it's location makes it readily available to many people on the southeast side of the city. It's a 4 (above average) in my book, but the conditioning can sometimes be undesirable.